Optical Measurement and Performance Prediction of Solar PV System in Al-Khidhir Zone/Iraq

Faten Sh. Zainulabdeen, Department of Physics, College of Education, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq
Jaber O. Dahloos, Environment Researches Center and Renewable Energy, University of Kerbala, Kerbala, IraqFollow
Ahmed F. Atwan, Department of Physics, College of Education, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq
Naseer K. Kasim, Training and Energy Research Office, Ministry of Electricity, Baghdad, Iraq

Abstract

People have tended for investing the sources of renewable energy, especially solar energy, as they are clean and environmentally friendly sources. The present work aims to invest the measured data of solar irradiance, maximum ambient temperatures and wind speed provided by Al Khidhir Meteorological Station to predict the minimum performance of photovoltaic solar systems (NT-R0E3E-SHARP) for electric power generation. The single diode model is used to calculate the minimum output power produced by solar module and its minimum conversion efficiency based on soalr irradiance, maximum ambient temperatures and wind speed throughout 2020. The results indicate that the annual solar irradiance in Al-Khidhir zone on horizontal plane is 2084 kWh/m2/year and the daily averages , approximately, range from 2500 Wh/m2/day in January, as a minimum value, to 8000 Wh/m2/day in July as a maximum value. Accordingly, the monthly average of peak sun hours has its minimum values in winter (3hours in January) and increases toward the summer and reaches its maximum value in July (8 hours), while the annually average is 5.7 hours. The results show that the behavior of predicted rates of output power of solar PV module was conforming to the behavior of solar irradiance along year. The daily averages of output power, approximately, range from 60 W to 100W along year. Due to the thermal effect of solar radiation the degradation percentage in electrical conversion efficiency of mono crystalline silicon solar cell ranges from 7.6% in winter to 24% in summer. From the results of the present work, it can be concluded that the geographical zone of Al-Khidhir and its surroundings are promising for investing solar energy to produce electricity.

Recommended Citation

Zainulabdeen, Faten Sh.; Dahloos, Jaber O.; Atwan, Ahmed F.; and Kasim, Naseer K. (2022) "Optical Measurement and Performance Prediction of Solar PV System in Al-Khidhir Zone/Iraq," Karbala International Journal of Modern Science: Vol. 8 : Iss. 2 , Article 1.
Available at: https://doi.org/10.33640/2405-609X.3216